Phila Buthelezi has been reappointed as Labour and Social Welfare Minister

Pictured: Phila Buthelezi , Minister of Labour and Social Welfare. (Picture Credit: Eswatini Government)

Matsanjeni North Member of Parliament Phila Buthelezi has been reappointed as the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare in the 12^th administration headed by Prime Minister Russel Dlamini.

Buthelezi served in the same portfolio in the previous (11th) administration headed by Cleopas Dlamini having replaced the late Makhosi Vilakati who passed away during the COVID-19 period. Minister Vilakati had been appointed in 2018 at the inception of the 11^th administration and before his appointment into the cabinet Mr Buthelezi was serving as the Deputy Speaker of the 11th parliament.

Other notable figures in the 20 individuals (inclusive of the Prime Minister Russel) cabinet include the former social security fund ,the Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF), Chief Executive Officer Prince Lonkhokhela who has been appointed into the Natural Resources Portfolio as well as Mabulala Maseko who has been retained in the Public Service Portfolio together with Neal Rekjernberg who has also been retained in the all important finance portfolio in charge of the fiscal and monetary policies of the country.

The rest of the cabinet ministers are as follows, Owen Nxumalo (Education) , Manqoba Khumalo (Commerce) , Dr Thambo Gina (Economic Planning) , Mduduzi Matsebula (Health) , Mandla Tshauke (Agriculture), Prince Simelane (Justice) ,Skhumbuzo Dlamini (Tinkhundla) ,Apollo Maphalala (Housing) ,Chief Ndlaluhlaza (Public Works) and Bongani Nzima (Sports). It has been noted with disappointment that only five women have been appointed into cabinet namely , Thulisile Dladla (Deputy Prime Minisiter) ,Pholile Dlamini (Minister of Foreign Affairs) , Princess Lindiwe(Minister of Home Affairs), Jane Mkhonta (Minister of Tourism) and Savanna Maziya (Minister of ICT). This can be seen as a departure from the approach already adopted during the election of Senators in parliament a few weeks ago whereby they elected 50% men and 50% women.

Minister Buthelezi returns to the Labour and Social Welfare portfolio with strong support from the social partners in the form of labour as well as business. In a recent interview with local daily ,the Times of Eswatini, the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland Secretary General Mduduzi Gina voiced out that workers were hoping that Buthelezi would be reappointed as a minister because he had shown some seriousness in addressing labour concerns.

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